iCloudvsOneDrive
Score Comparison
Signals Comparison
iCloud
- Only 5GB free storage is inadequate(8/10)
- Large price jump between storage tiers(6/10)
OneDrive
- Only 5GB free storage - much less than competitors(6/10)
- Standalone OneDrive for Business plans retired - forced into Microsoft 365(6/10)
- Microsoft 365 Family storage cut from 6TB to 2TB shared(8/10)
- Why did Microsoft 365 go up? Copilot added $3/month(7/10)
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic and Standard prices rose in July 2026(6/10)
iCloud
- Sync failures and inconsistent syncing across devices(9/10)
- Photos and data disappear without warning(10/10)
- Service outages affect photos, mail, and web apps(7/10)
- Backup restoration brings back deleted content(6/10)
- Limited offline access to files(6/10)
OneDrive
- Shared folders disappeared and were replaced by web shortcuts(9/10)
- Sync conflicts create duplicates and lost work(7/10)
- Windows 11 updates break OneDrive sync and sign-in (2026)(7/10)
- Is OneDrive down? Repeated outages in 2026(6/10)
iCloud
- iCloud is sync, not backup - deleting locally deletes everywhere(9/10)
- No selective file deletion - must delete all or buy more storage(7/10)
OneDrive
- New 'Hero Link' sharing changes broke old links in 2025(7/10)
- Cannot control or remove shared files appearing in your OneDrive(5/10)
- 50,000 item limit when sharing folders(5/10)
- Windows 11 turns on OneDrive folder backup without asking(7/10)
iCloud
- Poor cross-platform compatibility with Windows and Android(8/10)
OneDrive
No signals
iCloud
- Poor customer support for data recovery(8/10)
OneDrive
No signals
iCloud
No signals
OneDrive
- Painfully slow sync speeds frustrate users(8/10)
Pricing Comparison
iCloud
Users: 1 user
Storage: 5GB
Limits: No Private Relay, No Hide My Email, No custom email domain, No HomeKit Secure Video
Users: Up to 6 family members
Storage: 50GB
Limits: Only 1 HomeKit Secure Video camera supported
Users: Up to 6 family members
Storage: 200GB
Limits: Limited to 5 HomeKit Secure Video cameras
Users: Up to 6 family members
Storage: 2TB
Limits: None significant at this tier
Users: Up to 6 family members
Storage: 6TB
Limits: None
Users: Up to 6 family members
Storage: 12TB
Limits: None
OneDrive
Users: 1 user
Storage: 5GB
Limits: Google Drive gives 15GB free; no desktop Office apps
Users: 1 user
Storage: 100GB
Limits: No Copilot/AI features; web and mobile Office only
Users: 1 user
Storage: 1TB
Limits: Single user only
Users: Up to 6 users
Storage: 2TB shared (older plans: 1TB/person until 2027 renewal)
Limits: Copilot only for the owner; new subscriptions since Oct 8, 2026 get a 2TB pool, existing ones switch at renewal on/after May 2, 2027
Users: Up to 6 users
Storage: 2TB shared
Limits: AI features for the subscription owner only
Users: Per user
Storage: 1TB
Limits: End of sale June 2026 (no new customers); renewals stop January 2027; retired December 2029
Users: Per user (up to 300)
Storage: 1TB
Limits: No desktop Office apps
Users: Per user (up to 300)
Storage: 1TB
Limits: Advanced security needs Business Premium ($22)
Feature Comparison
| Feature | iCloud | OneDrive |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| Photo sync Syncs, not backs up - deletes propagate everywhere | ||
| File storage (iCloud Drive) Good iOS/Mac integration, poor Windows | ||
| Files On-Demand See all files without downloading | ||
| Version history Limited compared to Dropbox/Google Drive | ||
| Platform | ||
| Windows integration Built into Windows 10/11 | ||
| Mobile apps iOS and Android | ||
| Mac desktop app Available but historically buggy | ||
| Linux desktop app No official Linux support | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Office app integration Deep integration with Word, Excel, PowerPoint | ||
| Backup | ||
| Device backup Automatic iPhone/iPad backup, not comprehensive | ||
| Compatibility | ||
| Cross-platform sync No Android support, buggy Windows app | ||
| Security | ||
| Personal Vault Extra-secure folder with 2FA | ||
| End-to-end encryption Requires enabling Advanced Data Protection | ||
| Ransomware detection Alerts and file recovery | ||
| Zero-knowledge encryption Microsoft can access files | ||
| Password manager (Keychain) Good iOS/Mac, limited cross-platform | ||
| Collaboration | ||
| Real-time co-authoring Works best with Office files | ||
| Sharing | ||
| Family sharing Up to 6 members, shared storage pool | ||
| File sharing links Password protection, expiration | ||
| Privacy | ||
| Private Relay (VPN-like) iCloud+ only, not available in all regions | ||
| Hide My Email iCloud+ only, generate random email aliases | ||
| Custom email domain iCloud+ only | ||
| Usability | ||
| Offline access Must manually mark files as 'Keep Downloaded' | ||
| Productivity | ||
| Collaboration tools Basic, not comparable to Google Workspace | ||
| Smart Home | ||
| HomeKit Secure Video iCloud+ only, camera limits on lower tiers | ||